Practice: No Change at the Top
Santos picks up where he left off in 2010
Thompson, CT — Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Bobby Santos is up to his old ways already, and it’s just the first practice session of the 2011 season.
Santos laid down a fast lap of 18.407 seconds (122.236 mph) during Saturday’s 90-minute practice session at Thompson International Speedway in advance of Sunday’s season-opening Icebreaker.
A year ago, Santos was fastest all weekend as he led in practice, earned the Coors Light Pole Award and won the 150-lap race. He set the track record in qualifying last year at 18.418 (122.163), and was faster than that in today’s practice.
Rowan Pennink finished second on the practice charts at 18.440 (122.017) while Ted Christopher – winner of five of the last seven races at Thompson – was third at 18.517 (121.510).
Eric Berndt, Todd Szegedy, Justin Bonsignore, Kevin Goodale, Mike Stefanik, Ryan Preece and Glenn Tyler filled out the top 10.
Qualifying is set for today at 3:30 p.m.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR
NWMT Thompson 4/10/11 Practice
Pos No. Name Sponsor Time Speed
1 4 Bobby Santos Mystic Missile 18.407 122.236
2 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner 18.440 122.017
3 36 Ted Christopher Al-Lee Installations 18.517 121.510
4 46 Eric Berndt Cape Cod Aggregates/North End Auto Parts 18.574 121.137
5 2 Todd Szegedy Wisk Laundry Detergent/ A&J Romano Const. 18.577 121.118
6 51 Justin Bonsignore M3 Technology 18.586 121.059
7 50 Kevin Goodale Riverhead Building Supply 18.598 120.981
8 16 Mike Stefanik Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises 18.614 120.877
9 11 Ryan Preece Mizzy Construction 18.629 120.779
10 8 Glenn Tyler Sypher Construction 18.654 120.618
11 6 Ron Silk T.S Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm 18.692 120.372
12 79 James Civali Hill Enterprises/Coors Light 18.694 120.359
13 59 Chuck Hossfeld Ed Bennett Properties Inc. 18.720 120.192
14 58 Eric Goodale Perimeters for the Home 18.781 119.802
15 52 Doug Coby Reynolds Auto Wrecking 18.796 119.706
16 98 Erick Rudolph Mohawk Northeast/Original Pizza Logs 18.813 119.598
17 64 Ron Yuhas The A-Team 18.814 119.592
18 71 Rob Fuller Draco Springs 18.821 119.547
19 39 Richie Pallai Jr. Bosch Spark Plugs 18.824 119.528
20 9 Tom Rogers Jr.* Miss Mariana Lee 18.835 119.458
21 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood 18.846 119.389
22 31 Tony Ferrante Jr. Ferrante Racing 18.856 119.325
23 3 Matt Hirschman Cape Cod Copper/Riverview 18.859 119.306
24 28 Woody Pitkat Ramar-Hall 18.864 119.275
25 07 Patrick Emerling* Emerling Chevrolet 18.873 119.218
26 88 Bryon Chew* Buzz Chew Chevrolet/GT Vodka 18.886 119.136
27 14 Jimmy Blewett Atlantic Sprinkler/Ling Trucking 18.938 118.809
28 45 Eric Beers Horwith Freightliner 18.941 118.790
29 99 Jamie Tomaino Supreme Manufacturing 18.941 118.790
30 10 Ed Flemke Jr. Ron Bouchard’s Auto/Kleer Trimboards 18.990 118.483
31 38 Dave Etheridge Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil 19.027 118.253
32 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Landscape/TRC Electric 19.058 118.061
33 44 Rick Gentes* Tinio Corp/Mike’s Motor Service 19.276 116.725
34 33 Wade Cole Perf Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil 19.646 114.527
*Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate